[afro-nets] ON POVERTY (3)

[Claudio Schuftan <claudio@hcmc.netnam.vn>]

ON POVERTY (3)
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From: David Werner

This is a good brief list of key observations on poverty rela-
tive to socio-economic policies. However it's important that we
be more critical of the mainstream perception of "growth" as the
overriding goal of development. Imbalanced or unregulated growth
at the expense of the whole is cancer. To work toward Sustain-
able Heath for All, rather than enshrining "growth" as the meas-
ure or human progress, we need to aim at "achieving a balanced
and sustainable quality of life for all" on an "ailing planet
with limited resources and already endangered ecosystems." In
many areas, this will require a united effort to LIMIT GROWTH
rather than to promote it. Our focus needs to be on wiser use of
resources and fairer distribution. Otherwise we may end up like
the dinosaurs. Big but doomed.

David Werner